President Vladimir Putin's popularity remains near record highs. We expect this to suffer moderate declines as the reality of economic hardship beings to be realised by the general public. Political influence will remain in favour of defence and security hardliners. This will have fiscal consequences as military spending continues to remain high.

Prolonged lower oil prices during 2015 will have a negative impact on economic activity. High inflation will negatively affect consumer's purchasing power resulting in a reduction in private consumption.

This reduction in private consumption is reflected in our balance of payments forecast. Though we expect exports to decrease, due to a significant fall in imports we expect to see a current account expansion during 2015.

Monetary policy will remain relatively tight during 2015. A decrease in the rate of inflation in H215 will allow for monetary easing. The monetary authority will be eager to reduce rates so as not to inhibit economic activity and stifle the banking sector with high borrowing costs.

Major Forecast Changes

Following heavy depreciation in the rouble we now forecast the currency to average RUB62.50/USD during 2015.

We have upwardly revised our inflation forecast in light of rouble depreciation. We expect Russian inflation to peak in Q215 before beginning to gradually decline, averaging 14.0% during the year. The CBR will reduce its main policy rate to 11.0% in an attempt to return to monetary policy normality and not impede growth unnecessarily.

We have made a large downward revision to our growth outlook. This is due to lower oil prices constricting output, rising prices reducing consumer's purchasing power and an unfavourable business environment due to high rates. We now forecast the Russian economy to contact by 5.2% in real terms in 2015 before growing return to growth in 2016 with a 0.3% expansion.

We now forecast Russia's current account balance to make a short-lived...

The Russia Country Risk Report helps businesses with market assessment, strategic planning and decision making to promote growth and profitability in Russia. It is an essential tool for CEOs, Chairmen, Finance Directors/CFOs, Managing Directors, Marketing/Sales Directors with commercial interests in this emerging market.

An influential new analysis of Russia's economic, political and financial prospects through end-2019, just published by award-winning forecasters, Business Monitor International (BMI).

Key Uses

Forecast the pace and stability of Russia's economic and industry growth through end-2019.

Identify and evaluate adverse political and economic trends, to facilitate risk mitigation.

Assess the critical shortcomings of the operating environment that pose hidden barriers and costs to corporate profitability.

Economic Outlook:

How will the Russia' economic policy-making and performance impact on corporate profitability over 2015-2019?

BMI provides our fully independent 5-year forecasts for Russia through end-2019 for more than 50 economic and key industry indicators. We evaluate growth, and also forecast the impact of economic management.

Economic Outlook Contents

The Russia Country Risk Report features BMI's forecasts with supporting analysis for 2015 through to end-2019, set against government views and BMI's evaluation of global and regional prospects.

Key Areas Covered:

Data:

Full 10-year forecasts with data - for key macroeconomic variables including GDP (real growth and per capita), population, inflation, current account balance and the exchange rate.

BMI's comprehensive Risk Index system - rates each country worldwide for economic and political risk, and rates the business environment, within a global and regional context.

Global Assumptions - forecasts for each year to end-2019 covering: major commodities, growth in key regions, inflation, and interest and exchange rates, in the United States, Japan, China and the eurozone.

Key Benefits

Rely upon BMI's 100% independent forecast scenarios for Russia and underlying assumptions - we take no advertising and are privately-owned.

Exploit the benefits of BMI's comprehensive and reliable macroeconomic database on Russia, sourced and fully maintained by BMI from an extensive network of private sector, government and multilateral contacts.

Gain key insights into the current and future direction of government economic policy, which could significantly affect your company's business prospects, from BMI's team of analysts and economists.

Political Outlook:

What are the political risks to doing business in Russia over the next 5-years?

BMI's Russia country Risk Index evaluates the short- and medium-term threats to political stability.

Political Outlook Contents

Political Stability and Risk Assessment - BMI's Risk Index assesses explicit short- and long-term risks to political stability; latest positioning and trends for Russia's risk are compared with regional and global averages.

Current Administration and Policy-making BMI assesses the threats to the continuity of economic policy, and likely changes to the business operating environment.

Long-Term Political Outlook BMI examines the structural risks to the stability of Russia’s political system and the dominant public policy issues likely to affect decision-makers, and outlines scenarios for how the state could evolve in the medium to long term.

Key Benefits

Benchmark Russia's risk profile against its neighbours, the global and regional average, allowing easy comparison of risks between key business markets.

Identify, evaluate and anticipate political and security risks to the business environment, and to your company's current operations and future plans.

Gain valuable insights into government and policy-making, through BMI's specialist team of analysts and economists, and their network of private and public sector sources.

Operational Risk

What are the current operational risks and difficulties associated with doing business in Russia?

The Operational Risk section gives an evaluation of current risks and difficulties associated with operating in the market. It also provides a brief overview of the regional Operational Risk Index which benchmarks Russia against its neighbours.

Operational Risk Contents

The chapter provides a summary of the main threats in the country, within:

Key Areas Covered:

Market Overview - Size and value of each industry, including recent sector developments and major industry key performance indicators (KPIs) that have impacted company performance.

5-year Industry Forecasts - Forecasts for each year over 2015-2019, using BMI's proprietary industry modelling technique, which incorporates key domestic and international indicators - including economic growth, interest rates, exchange rate outlook, commodity prices and demographic trends - to provide fully integrated forecasts across and within each industry.

Demand- and Supply-Side Data/Forecasts - BMI's industry data covers both the output of each industry and the domestic demand, offering clear analysis of anticipated import/export trends, as well as capacity growth within each industry.

Key Benefits

Target strategic opportunities in high growth industries, which are benefiting from global mega trends, and thus offer strong investment and growth opportunities.

Compare the growth path of different industries to identify which are best placed to benefit from domestic and international economic prospects, and which have historically suffered from volatile growth trends - a key indicator of future risks.

*Not all Country Reports contain the Key Sector Outlook chapter. Please enquire above for more information.

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Testimonials

The sections that I find most interesting and useful are the macroeconomic data and forecasts for the country, top export destinations and economic activity. The indicators/analysis of these areas helps us orient our thinking, our assumptions and, consequently, our decisions in the commercial area.